Planned and Unplanned Ritual: Just Wing It!

By Retrokali

Our lives are filled with planners, schedules, and worrisome glances at our watches. It is the rare person that just lets the wind blow them where they may, most of us have each moment scheduled, even to go as far as scheduling, down time. Unfortunately we bring this same mindset into our ritual and spell casting. It is the American way. If we don’t have a plan when we lay out our candles, incense, and spell objects then we feel a sense of anxiety. I am here to tell you (and this is coming from a total control freak) that unplanned ritual, especially when you just have just a sense, and not a direction, is the most satisfying thing you can do.

Sometimes you just want to do ritual. To make a connection. You have a feeling of unsatisfaction, of unfinished business, of something inside of you that wants to come out, but that you don’t know how to give expression to. We don’t need a rhyme, a series of planned ritual acts; sometimes it is best to come as we are, emotionally naked.

With unplanned ritual you might not even think about it, until you find yourself with a free uninterrupted hour. Don’t think that just because it wasn’t on your schedule, that you can’t pick up and do a satisfying ritual. Sometimes the Goddess clears our schedule for us. You may not need a specific thing, or be able to put into words what you want to say. Maybe you just want a focused connection. What better time than the present moment.

1. Gather tools. Walk to where you keep your supplies, and close your eyes for a minute. Then start grabbing. Do you gravitate towards a black candle, even though Ostara Cherry trees are blooming outside your window? Go with it. For some reason do you want a bowl of water, a picture of your children, your athame, whatever? Grab what you feel, without any mental explanation, and bring it with you to your sacred space.
2. Focus on feeling. What is it inside you that you need to connect with? Is it discontent? Gratefulness? Merely wanting time to connect with the Goddess in an intimate and ritualized way? Whatever you feel, go with it. It doesn’t need words to make it valid.
3. The first thing I do, after setting up my space, and calling the corners, is start talking out loud. At first it might not make sense, and it might take a while to get to the heart of what it was that made you want to do ritual in the first place. But sometimes talking is a road that will bring you to a sacred place. Of course, this is not necessary; some of us prefer to be silent.
4. Follow your instincts. The most important part of ritual whether it is planned or unplanned. Some simple rituals can be very powerful, and some long drawn out planned rituals dry as toast. You will feel when it is over, and you will feel what you need to do. Do what comes naturally, and follow what suits your natural personality. If you aren’t a complicated person, then why all the bells and whistles? The Goddess wants you to be who you are; otherwise you rob yourself, and waste your energy.
5. Release. When you are done, release whatever was weighing on you to the Goddess.

This shows trust. Trust in yourself, that the small peep of a feeling that is fighting with all the others inside you is worth investigating. Second it shows trust in the Goddess. Trust that She will lead you where you need to go. You have done your ritual, addressed (either silently or in words) what you needed to, and the last step is to trust that the ritual you just did was sacred, and powerful.